Trailer airs for new Ricky Gervais series 'Derek' - watch

A trailer for Derek, the new comedy series from Ricky Gervais, has been posted online.

Scroll down to watch the three minute long sneak-preview at the new series.

The pilot episode of the sitcom was broadcast on Channel 4 earlier this year. The sitcom follows a "group of outsiders" who work in a retirement home. The pilot pulled in an impressive 2.3 million viewers and the full series will air next year.

Gervais plays Derek Noakes, a "tender, innocent man" with a passion for YouTube and Deal Or No Deal. He stars alongside Karl Pilkington in his first acting role as Dougie.

After the pilot was broadcast, Gervais was forced to deny accusations that his character made fun of the disabled, saying: "If I say I don't mean him to be disabled then that's it. A fictional doctor can't come along and prove me wrong. He's different. But then so are a lot of people."

Gervais added: "David Brent was an egotistical, failed musician and the most annoying man in the world. Derek is a 50-year-old man with bad hair and clothes, whose best friend is a whinging Manc twonk. Where do I get my ideas from?"

Shane Allen, head of comedy at Channel 4 commented: "Ricky is a leading voice in British comedy and through Derek he captures and reflects something of the spirit of modern society. A kindhearted character in a world which TV normally shies away from, it feels like a perfect new direction for Ricky."